@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
MURDER BY DEATH
w/ Dios & Gasoline Heart
Though they’ve had eight years to refine their sound and vision, Murder By Death rolled out of the gates fully realized in 2000, playing a blend of rocking Americana noir and dramatic post-punk that erased old style and audience boundaries as much as it tested the limits of new ones. And with their fourth album and Vagrant debut, Red Of Tooth And Claw (3/4/08), the Bloomington, Indiana, quartet are emerging as true artists in the zero-boundary sense: cinematic storytellers whose albums come together in an essential whole, and players whose jaw-dropping performances on record make you yearn for the chance to experience their energy up close and in person. Red Of Tooth And Claw finds Murder By Death at the height of their powers. Recorded with Grammy-winning producer Trina Shoemaker (Queens Of The Stone Age, Emmylou Harris, Iggy Pop) at Dark Horse studios in Tennessee, the album captures the drama and nuance of MBD’s sound without compromising a lick of the band’s energy. And as longtime followers of their narrative grit—equal parts Old West drama and Old Testament justice—will be glad to know, MBD’s subject matter also hasn’t softened for album No. 4. Rife with lust, betrayal, and classical archetypes of good and evil, Red Of Tooth And Claw is, as singer/guitarist Adam Turla puts it, a “Homer’s Odyssey of revenge, only without the honorable character at the center.”
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
INEPT
w/ Projct: Threeville / From The Bridge On & Radio Virgin
Inept started in the early 2000’s and built their fanbase the old fashioned way, with good music and an excellent live show. Within a year of forming, they were bringing large amounts of fans to such reputable Chicago venues as the House of Blues and Metro. Their songs became staples on the local rock shows hosted by Q101, former rock station 94.7 the Zone, and on many local college radio programs. After years of working the Chicago music scene, they expanded out across the country, playing on national tours such as Warped Tour, and sharing the stage with numerous bands such as Fall Out Boy, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Trapt, and Alterbridge among many.
@ DOUGS ROCKHOUSE GRILL
333 E. Indian Trail, Aurora, IL - all ages
BUY TICKETS HERE
A SKYLIT DRIVE
w/ Killed By The 1st / The Missing Portrait
Beneath City Lights & The Capital Sun
The follow-up to the highly successful EP "She Watched the Sky" (Tragic Hero Records); Their upcoming full length "Wires...and the Concept of Breathing" solidifies A Skylit Drive’s position at the forefront of the Indie scene. The debut full length from A Skylit Drive showcases the band’s finely tuned sound, and it’s progression from the previous record. Featuring an array of highly accomplished producers & engineers, "Wires..." will become the record that doesnt leave your car stereo. Recorded at Warrior Sound in Raleigh, NC by Mitchel Marlow and Al Jacobs (He Is Legend, Classic Case & Filter) and produced by Jamie King (Between the Buried & Me) with vocal arrangements by Kit Walter (Alesana) this record is packed full of an All Star cast. Full of material that fans new and old alike will rejoice in, "Wires...and the Concept of Breathing" will have a lasting impact on the Indie community and will surely be a point of influence for bands to come.
@ DOUGS ROCKHOUSE GRILL
333 E. Indian Trail, Aurora, IL - all ages
BUY TICKETS HERE
THE GRADUATE
w/ 1997 / Amrita
They Found Me, They Named Me [cd rel] & Fire & 4get
Since signing on the dotted line with ICON MES in September of 2006, THE GRADUATE have gone from virtual unknowns to gracing the cover of CMJ magazine in a matter of just a few short months. After several years of heavy touring with previous bands, these Springfield, IL natives have created quite a buzz and amassed a following that feels more like a family than a fan base.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
LIGHT POLLUTION
w/ Elsinore / Carta Marina / PolarOPPOSITEbear & Andy B
Throwdown, tightly coiled, is squeezing the world for the kill and poised to sink their collective fangs into the backbone of American metal. Rising from the underground world of the do-it-yourself hardcore scene with a recipe made up of Pantera, Machine Head, Sepultura and early Metallica, their mission is boldly proclaimed on on their new album,
Venom & Tears.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS
w/ Native / Swim Ignorant Fire / Oh, Alchemy
Loose Lips are a wall of sound. An instrumental band like no other. Come see them at their record release show and pick up a copy of their debut album Pupeten.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
SCARLA MYTH
w/ Leroy Drater / Angel / Weekend FM
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
CLIFTON ROY & FOLKSTRINGER [CD Release]
w/ Chicago Farmer
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
THROWDOWN
w/ Poison The Wel / The End / The Satire & Inveigh
Throwdown, tightly coiled, is squeezing the world for the kill and poised to sink their collective fangs into the backbone of American metal. Rising from the underground world of the do-it-yourself hardcore scene with a recipe made up of Pantera, Machine Head, Sepultura and early Metallica, their mission is boldly proclaimed on on their new album,
Venom & Tears.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
HIT THE LIGHTS
w/ Set Your Goals / I Am The Avalanche
The Years Gone By & 2*Sweet
Lima, OH-based emocore band Hit the Lights formed in the summer of 2003. Vocalist Colin Ross and guitarist Omar Zehery previously teamed in the little-known Goodbye Session, while guitarist Nick Thompson tenured with the Summer Departure. Bassist David Bermosk and drummer Nate Van Dame (a former roadie for emo favorites Hawthorne Heights) completed the lineup, and after taking their name from a track on Metallica's influential debut LP, Kill 'Em All, Hit the Lights earned a fervent cult following on the basis of their feverish live shows, and made their recorded debut on the 2004 EP From Ohio with Love alongside A Day in the Life and Red Affair. After self-releasing the 2005 EP Until We Get Caught, Hit the Lights signed to the Triple Crown label, which reissued the disc in advance of the band's first full-length effort, 2006's This Is a Stick Up... Don't Make It a Murder.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
YEA BIG + KID STATIC
w/ Egon's Unicat / Son Of Starkiller & Velocirapture
Yea Big + Kid Static is hip hop for the stationarily challenged, the soundtrack for your next dance-off, the preamble to next your coup. Yea Big + Kid Static will overcome you like a band of parkour ninjas wearing jet packs leaping over your grandmother’s privacy fence to steal a pie. Yea Big + Kid Static are one part short shorts, one part cybernetic organism, all parts awesome. Yea Big + Kid Static are a comic book style action figure for all ages, ready to destroy the plastic casing and blow up the spot with the power and skill of 47 stuntmen wearing mylar battle gear. Be prepared to duck.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
OWEN
w/ City On Film [Bob Nanna of Hey Mercedes & Braid]
Nathaniel Carroll & The Patience
Owen is Mike Kinsella. For almost a decade, Kinsella has been known for his important role in some of Chicago's most revered bands: Cap'n Jazz, Joan of Arc, Owls, and American Football. All of the projects with the exception of American Football were bands in which Kinsella played with his older brother, Tim Kinsella, a well-known Chicago musician in his own right. In the projects in which the Kinsella brothers joined up together, Mike was relegated to the role of drums while his brother handled guitar work. American Football marked a turning point for Mike, as he was able to allow his guitar-playing abilities to finally show. American Football quickly became an indie darling, respected in their own right and seen by many as the best project of which a Kinsella had played a role. Although releasing only one proper full-length, American Football made an impressive mark on many indie fans hearts and souls and showed the indie world that Mike Kinsella was as good a songwriter and guitarist as he was a drummer. There is no doubt that Owen picks up where American Football left off both musically and lyrically.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
MISERY SIGNALS
w/ Cealed Kasket / Eli / The Killer Apathy / Nothing Is Forever
Misery Signals are riding high off of their recently released sophomore full-length, Mirrors, on Ferret Music. The album has received a deluge of critical acclaim and fan praise over the past months. Feature coverage and review galore including being named as Alternative Press’s 100 BANDS YOU NEED TO KNOW 2007 have yielded such quotes as and “Let’s face it: A lot of metal-roar-core acts don’t mix in Sigur Ros-esque ambient breaks within the kind of gut-wrenching boom you’ll find on the Signals’ recent disc, Mirrors.” Revolver who featured Misery Signals as a BAND TO WATCH described the band as “A relentlessly ambitious melodic, metal core band with a knack for exhausting members with their take-no-prisoners touring schedule.” Web media also rallied to the band’s cause saying “Everything on Mirrors is bigger and better than Of Malice and the Magnum Heart (itself one of my favorite metal core albums); the packaging, the production, the riffs, the density etc,” Digital Metal.com and “Misery Signals are a band who like to test the perimeters of what is expected in 2006 and in turn, through a somewhat serpentine approach, the group escape much of the standard confines and pigeonholing” ThePRP.com
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
INSPECTOR OWL
w/ Melty Melty / An Aesthetic Anesthetic / Train Company
Inspector Owl is a five part human, one part computer, indie-pop-dance-rock band hailing from DeKalb, IL. Violin, synth, trumpet, and programming accompany the standard guitar, bass, drums and vocals. They want you to dance. They want you to have fun. Inspector Owl certainly is.
@ DOUGS AMERICAN BAR & GRILL
333 E. Indian Trail, Aurora, IL - all ages
BUY TICKETS HERE
DROPPING DAYLIGHT
w/ You Me And Everyone We Know / Playradioplay
Dreaming In Stereo & Armada Underwater
Dropping Daylight are very much part of the post-emo era of American indie rock, with songs that favor anthemic choruses and jagged, distorted guitar parts. However, at the same time, the young Minneapolis quartet are in some ways a throwback to a time about decade prior to their early-2000s birth: leader Sebastian Davin's clever lyrics, rhythmic piano lines, and smooth '70s AM radio pop vocal style strongly recall one-time alternative rock favorites like Ben Folds Five, the Eels, the New Radicals and Fastball.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
mc chris
w/ The Age Of Rockets
Chris Ward IV (born 2 September 1975), otherwise known as MC Chris (correctly written as mc chris in lowercase), is a rapper, voice actor, and improvisational comedian born in Libertyville, Illinois, U.S.. He attended Art Institute of Chicago, and New York University's (NYU) Tisch School of the Arts. He currently self releases with no current record label. MC Chris originally performed with The Lee Majors. He has appeared and worked behind the scenes on many of Williams Street Studios' shows on Adult Swim, most notably Aqua Teen Hunger Force (as a voice talent and a production assistant), Sealab 2021 (in some bit parts, consistently recurring as the also crude and often misguided Hesh), and was a production assistant and writer for The Brak Show (including the episodes "Brakstreet" and "Shadows of Heat"). He also made a cameo in a Space Ghost: Coast to Coast episode "Baffler Meal." - wikipedia
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
THE SHOW IS THE RAINBOW
w/ UUVVWWZ / The Patience & Heart Shaped Hate
The Show is the Rainbow is important. Yes, we are ALL important,
obviously. Writing a bio seems like the least important part of being
in this band. This band that I am being in is just Me, so a bio
is actually an auto-bio, and I'm not that interesting. The Show is the
Rainbow is, however, interesting.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
GOLD
w/ Frequency En Mass / TBA
Except for the lack of bass Gold's set-up is a familiar one: guitars, drums, and vocals. However, Gold's commitment to create fresh, innovative sounds within this framework serves as a lobotomy on the lackluster pop that dominates most of today's indie rock. Gold uses two guitars, each one blasted through a bass/guitar amp double stack, as the basis of their sonic attack. Add to this drums that range from gentle flurries to demonic tirades, and vocals that encompass everything from screaming, to swooning, to melodic hooks, and you might begin to get the idea. But probably not. That's because Gold lives in a world of contradictions: their music is angular but catchy, aggressive but thoughtful, unconventional but steeped in tradition. So yes, trying to imagine or even describe Gold's sound is difficult. They live somewhere between Arnold Schoenberg, and AC/DC, and frankly, that's a pretty good place to live.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
VALENCIA
w/ Treaty Of Paris / Last Fast Action & Keslinger
Valencia met by playing local shows together around the tri-state area in separate bands. George and JD grew up together; attending elementary school, high school, and their first year of college. They joined a band in 2001 called The Capgun Heroes with Brendan and former member Sean Mundy. Shane sang in the band Attracted to Miss and Max played drums in The Emphasis. In 2004 the group decided to come together and form what is known today as Valencia. The name comes from Valencia, Spain. In 2005 Valencia signed to I Surrender Records after the label's owner, Midtown's drummer Rob Hitt, heard their demo tape.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
CODE BLUE
w/ TBA
Code Blue, known as “Southern Indiana’s Best Live Rock & Roll Group”, has been rockin’ their hometown area since 1991 with a stimulating mix of rock & roll classics as well as their own original material. The band released its debut CD, “Observations”, in 2007. The group’s music encompasses many influences (classic rock, blues, R&B, punk, Americana), distilled down into a unique sonic vision.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
COTTON JONES BASKET RIDE
w/ TBA
Maryland man Michael Nau has a curious knack for assuming musical monikers that transcend mere non-sequiturs. First, there was Page France, a name as deeply confusing as it is seemingly simple. Now that PF is de facto defuncto for the foreseeable future because of the band members' busy lives, Nau's gone all Wooden Wand on us with his new name: the Cotton Jones Basket Ride.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
EMAROSA
w/ Take The Crown / Lower Definition / Jamies Elsewhere & Dead & Divine
Emarosa is a 6-piece post-hardcore band from Lexington, Kentucky. They have recently released their EP, entitled This Is Your Way Out, recorded and produced by Joey Sturgis. Emarosa was originally signed to Standby Records but due to releasing troubles with their EP they signed to Rise Records alongside bands such as Drop Dead, Gorgeous, Before Their Eyes, The Devil Wears Prada, At the Throne of Judgment, and Catherine.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
COMPANY OF THIEVES
w/ From Here On After / The Young Sea
Company of Thieves is proof that everything happens for a reason. When Genevieve Schatz and Marc Walloch met by chance nearly two years ago in Chicago’s bustling Union Station, they never imagined that the encounter would lead to the evolution of the band that they now call home. Schatz, a singer “since she could talk,” and Walloch, a seasoned guitarist, were introduced by mutual acquaintances. A casual discussion of their shared love of the Beatles ensued and the two forged an instant connection. It was not long before they were spending a lot of time together — writing songs in the confines of their apartments and performing at a weekly Monday night music event in the city.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
ALGERNON
w/ Guests TBA
Fostering an atmosphere that relies on composition and a larger sonic palette, Algernon creates a fusion of indie rock, jazz, and classical chamber music. The effect is that of a distinctly modern band, providing musical clues to our modern landscape. In the process, Algernon engulfs the listener in an entirely different world of its own making. With combined experience in genres from jazz to hard rock, from punk to classical, the band is well equipped to deliver on the promise.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
SHAI HULUD
w/ Full Blowd Chaos / Elysia / Woe Of Tyrants
Shai Hulud is a five-piece metalcore band formed in Pompano Beach, Florida. The name comes from the giant sandworms in Frank Herbert's Dune. Originally hailing from Pompano Beach, Florida, the band later moved up to Poughkeepsie, NY. The two mainstay members of Shai Hulud are considered to be Matt Fox (guitar), who writes most of the band's musical and lyrical output, and Matt Fletcher (originally guitar, but then moved on to bass), who assists in writing.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
MXPX
w/ Guests TBA
The Christian-themed punk-pop outfit MxPx was formed in Bremerton, WA, in 1993 by vocalist/bassist Mike Herrera, drummer Yuri Ruley, and guitarist Andy Husted. Originally dubbed Magnified Plaid, at the time of the group's formation all its members were still in high school. Their moniker was later shortened to just MxPx after Ruley abbreviated their name on some show flyers, but poor handwriting saw the periods being interpreted as x's instead; the name stuck.
@ THE HOUSE CAFE
263 E. Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb, IL
BUY TICKETS HERE
DANCE GAVIN DANCE
w/ A Static Lullaby / Four Letter Lie
Secret and Whisper & Lower Definition
Dance Gavin Dance is a six-member Indie band from Sacramento, California. They were formed out of the dissolution of several other bands, including Farewell Unknown, Ghost Runner On Third and Atherton. Jonny Craig and Sean O'Sullivan joined in 2005 and early 2006 to complete the lineup. After signing with Rise Records in August of 2006, the band started recording immediately. They released their first EP on November 14th, 2006, titled Whatever I Say Is Royal Ocean. After returning to the studio, they released their full-length CD, Downtown Battle Mountain. Dance Gavin Dance has toured alongside bands like Alesana, Drop Dead, Gorgeous, and The Devil Wears Prada.